


don’t need an excuse to give me your affection

by letshargroovetonight



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: First Kiss, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29400390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letshargroovetonight/pseuds/letshargroovetonight
Summary: Billy orders something in the mail. It doesn't really work as advertised but that doesn't end up being a problem.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36
Collections: Harringrove Week of Love





	don’t need an excuse to give me your affection

**Author's Note:**

> for the [@harringroveweekoflove](https://harringroveweekoflove.tumblr.com/) prompt **love potion!**

Billy orders this shit from one of Susan’s weird women’s catalogs. Diligently watches the mailman every day after he orders the damn thing. When it finally arrives, he squirrels the package away before anyone can ask any questions. That night, in the safety of his bedroom, he finally opens the box and examines the small bottle inside.

 _Love Potion No. 9_ it reads.

Then right below, _One drop will make him fall madly in love with you_.

Billy shoves it in his bag for tomorrow. He’s supposed to meet up with Steve after his shift so they can shoot some hoops together.

The following afternoon, Billy pulls his car right up next to Steve’s in the lot near the outdoor courts way back on Mulberry.

“How about some one-on-one?” Steve challenges once Billy drops his bag on the side of the court.

“You’re on,” Billy says, fully confident in his chances of beating Steve's ass.

It’s warm out. They both work up a sweat. Billy wonders if it looks like he’s sweating more than normal. He can’t stop thinking about his plan.

“Need some water,” Billy grunts after sinking another 3-pointer. He jogs over to his bag and hunches down, his back to Steve.

Billy riffles around for his water bottle and the other smaller one he tucked in there last night. He quickly unscrews the potion’s lid and with the way his hand jitters, he accidentally pours almost all of the clear liquid into the water. Straightening himself back up, Billy pretends to take a swig from the water bottle then turns back to Steve.

“Want some?” Billy offers, trying to act cool. He hopes Steve doesn’t notice the tremor in his hand.

Steve trots over with the basketball tucked under one arm. He takes the water bottle from Billy and downs a few big gulps.

“Has this been sitting in your backseat for weeks on end?” Steve grimaces. “It tastes kind of funny.”

He hands the bottle back to Billy then grins devilishly as he snaps the ball right towards Billy’s face. Billy drops the water to snatch it out of the air before it can do any damage. They continue playing and Steve ties the score. Billy’s head really isn’t in the game at this point.

“I’m beat, dude,” Steve huffs a little while later, plopping himself down on the ground. He wipes the sweat from his face. Billy comes to stand near him.

“Want to go swimming at the quarry tomorrow after I get off work?” Steve asks, looking up at Billy. “My parents still haven’t opened the pool,” he explains, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, sure,” Billy replies.

“Cool,” Steve says, hopping back onto his feet. Up into Billy’s space. Billy’s anticipation ratchets up, waiting for what will happen next. But Steve just gives him a friendly clap on the shoulder.

“See you tomorrow,” Steve throws over his shoulder as he walks to his car.

Billy’s left standing there. How long is it supposed to take for the fucking potion to start working?

Once Steve drives off, Billy snatches the potion out from his bag. He reads through every last word printed on the bottle. It doesn’t give any sort of timeframe for when Steve will _fall madly in love_ with him. And when he checks the catalogue at home later, there’s no answer there either.

Steve is just his normal self at the quarry the next day. He challenges Billy to several swimming contests then invites him over for a beer. The next time they hang out, nothing happens either. Steve’s just acts the same as he always does. Nothing’s different about the following time they’re together or the one after that.

Billy is _soooo_ not impressed with this love potion crap.

It’s been almost two weeks since Billy slipped Steve the love potion. And he’s sprawled out on Steve’s couch watching TV when he finally accepts that he may have been swindled.

Billy lets out a groan of frustration. He can’t help it. He immediately regrets it though when Steve shoots him a funny look from the other side of the couch.

“What was that about?” Steve questions.

“Nothing,” Billy huffs. “I need a beer.”

He gets up and heads into the kitchen, internally groaning this time when he hears Steve following after him.

Opening the fridge, Billy dips his head down to peer inside as if Steve has the most interesting beer selection in the world (he doesn’t). Billy just needs an excuse to avoid looking Steve in the eye right now.

“Dude, what’s up with you? I feel like you’ve been acting all weird lately,” Steve’s voice comes from over Billy’s shoulder.

Billy shoots up, feeling that automatic need to defend himself.

“You’re supposed to — !” he cuts himself off before he goes any further.

“I’m supposed to what?” Steve asks, his eyebrows knitting together. He bites at his lip. Something that Billy knows Steve does when he’s very confused.

Billy throws his hands up in the hair in frustration and turns his back to Steve to get that beer he claimed he wanted. He’s determined to ignore Steve until he drops the whole thing. Which unfortunately might take the rest of the night because Steve can be stubborn as hell.

But Billy feels a hand on his shoulder and his determination is out the window. He turns to face Steve and sees that the other boy looks genuinely concerned and before he can even think about what he’s doing, Billy takes Steve’s face in his hands and kisses him.

Steve stands stock still for a second before he actually starts kissing him _back_. He hums into it and Billy feels Steve’s hands at his sides a moment later. Then Billy’s being pulled in closer.

When they finally break apart from each other, Steve’s grinning at him.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for months,” Steve admits.

That’s when Billy realizes he could’ve saved twenty bucks because he really didn’t need that love potion after all.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm on [tumblr](https://letshargroovetonight.tumblr.com)!


End file.
